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Esther Bruce & neighbour celebrating the Coronation
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Esther Bruce & neighbour celebrating the Coronation
Esther Bruce & her neighbour Mrs Bennett celebrating the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in Fulham, London. Josephine Esther Bruce (1912-1994) working-class mixed race seamstress born in Fulham, London to a Guyanese father & an English mother. In London in the 1930s she made dresses for the singer Elisabeth Welch & befriended the Jamaican nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Co-authored her autobiography in 1991 with her adopted nephew Stephen Bourne. Included in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Date: 1953
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Media ID 23090834
© The Stephen Bourne Collection / Mary Evans
1953 Bennett Born Bruce Celebrating Coronation Esther Fulham Guyanese Josephine Mixed Race Neighbour Seamstress Working Class Elizabeth
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EDITORS COMMENTS
In this evocative photograph, Esther Bruce and her neighbor, Mrs. Bennett, joyously celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in Fulham, London, in 1953. Esther Bruce, born in 1912, was a working-class, mixed race seamstress who grew up in Fulham to a Guyanese father and an English mother. Her life was filled with rich experiences that defied the racial and social norms of the time. In the 1930s, Esther Bruce made dresses for the renowned singer Elisabeth Welch, and befriended the Jamaican nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Her life story is a testament to the resilience and determination of an extraordinary woman who navigated the complexities of race, class, and gender in post-war Britain. The photograph captures the excitement and jubilation of the moment as Esther Bruce and her neighbor, Mrs. Bennett, raise their hands in celebration, their faces radiant with joy. The image is a poignant reminder of the sense of community and unity that marked the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, an event that brought people from all walks of life together in celebration. Esther Bruce's life was a rich tapestry of experiences, and her autobiography, co-authored with her adopted nephew Stephen Bourne in 1991, provides a fascinating insight into the life of a remarkable woman. Her inclusion in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography is a testament to her enduring legacy and the impact she had on British history.
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